Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers per capita of the general population are accommodated in (a) Scotland, (b) England, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland.
Answered by Tom Pursglove
Data on immigration groups by devolved administration is published in table Reg_01 of the Regional and local authority data. The number of people under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, the Afghan resettlement programme and the supported asylum population and the per capita figure for these three pathways combined is published. Data on the supported population does not include people who are not receiving state support (such as unsupported asylum seekers).
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make an estimate of the number and proportion of (a) businesses and (b) workers in the hospitality sector that will be affected by proposed increases to the minimum salary requirements for a skilled worker visa in (i) the UK and (ii) Scotland.
Answered by Tom Pursglove
Analytical work has been undertaken across Government to support decision making in this process, and an Impact Assessment will be developed in due course.
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on infected blood compensation payments.
Answered by John Lamont
The Government is committed to working with the Devolved Governments, where appropriate, to explore what options are available to develop an effective response to the inquiry's recommendations that delivers across the UK.
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she has sought legal advice on the potential implications of continued approval of arms export licences where (a) components and (b) arms are known to be going to conflict zones.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
The Export Control Joint Unit (ECJU) is comprised of subject matter experts and officials in the Department for Business and Trade, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and the Ministry of Defence.
The Secretary of State for Business and Trade receives legal advice as appropriate, on all matters related to export licensing, as part of advice from officials.
Any legal advice received is subject to legal professional privilege and as such we do not comment on legal advice that may or may not have been sought or received.
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in the Scottish and Welsh governments on infected blood (a) compensation and (b) interim payments.
Answered by John Glen
The Government is committed to working with the Devolved Governments where appropriate to develop an effective response that delivers across the UK. The Inquiry has recommended that a compensation scheme be set up on a UK-wide basis and I know there is a common determination to provide appropriate redress for victims of infected blood across the United Kingdom. I will ensure that we engage with the Devolved Governments as appropriate in respect of the Government’s ongoing work to respond to the Infected Blood Inquiry.
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will convene a meeting with his counterparts in the devolved administrations to (a) discuss and (b) implement an infected blood compensation scheme.
Answered by John Glen
The Government is committed to working with the Devolved Governments where appropriate to develop an effective response that delivers across the UK. The Inquiry has recommended that a compensation scheme be set up on a UK-wide basis and I know there is a common determination to provide appropriate redress for victims of infected blood across the United Kingdom. I will ensure that we engage with the Devolved Governments as appropriate in respect of the Government’s ongoing work to respond to the Infected Blood Inquiry.
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to seek legislative consent for infected blood (a) compensation and (b) interim payments from the devolved administrations.
Answered by John Glen
The Government is committed to working with the Devolved Governments where appropriate to develop an effective response that delivers across the UK. The Inquiry has recommended that a compensation scheme be set up on a UK-wide basis and I know there is a common determination to provide appropriate redress for victims of infected blood across the United Kingdom. I will ensure that we engage with the Devolved Governments as appropriate in respect of the Government’s ongoing work to respond to the Infected Blood Inquiry.
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make it his policy to provide (a) compensation and (b) interim payments to those who contracted Hepatitis B through infected blood.
Answered by John Glen
Since October 2022, the Government has made interim payments of £100,000 to those infected with HIV and or Hepatitis C and bereaved partners registered with the existing Infected Blood Support Schemes, as recommended in the Infected Blood Inquiry’s first interim report. The Government is actively considering the recommendations of the second interim report, including the recommendation relating to those infected with chronic Hepatitis B, and is in the process of appointing clinical, legal and social care experts to advise on the Government’s response. The Inquiry’s recommendations are wide ranging and the Government position must be considered in light of the final report. The Inquiry will publish its final report on 20th May and I have committed to updating Parliament within 25 sitting days of its publication.
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many appeals against Personal Independence Payment decisions were lapsed by her Department in the latest period for which data is available.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
A lapsed appeal is where DWP changed the decision in the customer’s favour after an appeal was lodged but before it was heard at a tribunal hearing.
The table below provides information on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) appeal registrations and lapsed appeals. Data is provided for appeals registered in the 2022/23 financial year, the latest full financial year that data is available.
Table 1: Appeals registered in 2022/23 and how many were subsequently lapsed
Appeals registered | Appeals lapsed |
81,000 | 18,000 (22% of appeals registered) |
Notes:
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has made an estimate of the number of violence-at-work incidents that have been reported at Govan job centre.
Answered by Paul Maynard
The Department for Work and Pensions record all reported violence-at-work incidents. In the current financial year, April – October 2023, Govan Jobcentre recorded 27 incidents.
In 2022/2023 financial year there were 19 incidents and in 2021/2022 financial year there were 20 incidents.
All incidents reported at Govan Jobcentre have been categorised as verbal or written with none being classed as physical incidents.